Kids and Budgets

While CAM was in school today and I should have been taking WHM to Kindermusik, instead, because of this awful cold and my fear of having a full-on sneezing and coughing fit turn into a choking episode (it happens to me, especially when the heat's on and the air is dry), I decided to skip KM for everyone's sake and sanity. 

Instead, WHM and I dropped off CAM at school, headed to the wash car (yes, "wash car," not "car wash") and the bank .... and then in a fit of spontaneity, headed to a local consignment sale.  Not the one where I am presently consigning -- we'll hit that one tonight.

We did okay, but more importantly, when we were done, WHM asked to go to Chickafay, and because I was feeling kind-of okay (despite sounding like death), instead of going to the one that is at least sort-of on the way home, I took a left instead of a right and swung through the church (yes, I know where it is) and grabbed a bulletin.  You know, since yesterday was Ash Wednesday and all, I figured it might be nice to find out mass times and maybe, I don't know, take our kids to see their church.  We even went in, got some holy water and said some prayers, WHM and I.  And then, well, heck, we were just sooo close to TJ Maxx, that after our lunch date at Chickafay, we ran over to TJ Maxx.

These are what I wanted to buy:

This is what I bought instead.

Yes, these are Thomas the Tank Engine undies.  Size 2T-3T, if you're wondering.  Briefs, not boxers.

Now I know some of you are thinking, "oh, another predictable 'look-how-kids-have-changed-me-yada-yada-yada' post." 

Nope.  Not even close.  More like, look-how-this-whole-staying-home-and-being-broke-because-the-economy-sucks-for-the-bravely-self-employed-like-my-husband thing has changed me.  A pair of shoes costs almost nothing!  In any other moment in time those puppies would have been mine without a moment's hesitation to even contemplate -- not super fancy, not super expensive by even a remote stretch, but super cute!  (For what it's worth I love patent leather, even if it's fake, and have been on a mad quest for nude shoes for over a year.  Oh well.)  But these days, our budget is a lot tighter than it used to be, and instead ... well, I went with the more practical approach.  We went with Thomas undies.

Because this is what we have recently gotten on our notes home from school:

First ...

And then a few days later ...

So I'm thinking that the potty-training loot was more important than shoes.  Today.  We'll see what tomorrow brings. My feet are crying for those shoes, and if they cry loud enough ... well, maybe the eventual savings the potty training will yield will justify the cost of the shoes. 


--Jen

Pin It